The Portland daily press., 1887-04-20
FOG HORNS AND BELLS.
interesting Description Of the cape
siren-The Bow Bells OF London-w.
G. Gives Some History Of a Famous
Naval Fight.

BowEhY BEACH, April 1s, 1887.
To the Editor of the Press:
In late communication to the PREss
"W. g." seems to cast doubt on the state
ment Of his neighbors, that they can hear
the Cape fog signal, on the ground that said
signal and the one at Portland Head are so
nearly alike they cannot be distinguished
Owing to their proximity to each other, the
fact is, that they are calculated to be as
much unlike in their characteristics as pos
sible.
The Portland Head signal is a Daboll
trumpet operated by an Ericsson caloric
engine. The sound is produced by forcing
compressed air through large metal trum-
pet having steel reed in its small end. 1t
makes one blast eight seconds long at inter-
vals Of 40 seconds; The sound is like that
Of giant dinner horn.
Ihe Cape signal Is siren" or sirene, the
only one on the coast Of Maine. The blasts
are directed over the sea through a conical
cast iron horn 25 feet long, and the sound Is
produced by projecting steam at a high
pressure through perforated metal disk
fixed to a shaft entering the small end of the
norm. The shaft and disk make 1900 revo-
lutlons per minute, and the sound emitted is
unlike that made by any other device. II |
were called upon TO describe il, would ask
the reader to imagine the sound produced
by forty jackasses all braying at once and in
as many different keys as possible. This
signal makes two blasts and two pauses
every 60 seconds. The blasts are six seconds
long with short pause of eight seconds be-
tween them, and long pause OF 40 seconds
following the second blast.
Although these two signals are only about
a miles apart, find on comparing notes
that they are seldom heard simultaneously
by the two keepers. The Cape fog signal,
under the most favorable conditions for
hearing, may be heard from to IL miles at
sea, and yet there are places along the shore
on either side Of it, less than mile away,
where 1t cannot be heard at all.
This Is popularity common to most fog
signals, and is the result Of the sound being
detected by adjacent high land.
The Seguin signal Is a 10-Inch locomotive
whistle, operated by steam. 1t has the high
est elevation (the Cape signal has the lowest)
OF any fog signal on the Maine coast, and
'>sllle II Is frequently heard overland a dis
tance-os, II or Is miles. 1t cannot be heard
mile away from the island in some localities
on its east and south sides.
During thick easterly and southerly wealth
er, none Of the noises, the hum and turmoil
oI the city, reaches rs out here. But as
trains, the whistling Of tugs and of locomo-
tiyes, we regard these as sure prognostics Of
approaching fair weather. In all ordinary
clear weather, the several noon whistles in
the city are plainly heard here, and we are
much IN the habit Of regulating our time
pieces by them. On what are known as
good hearing days" the ringing Of church
bells in the city Is heard quite plainly, and
warning whistles Ct tug boats approaching
the draw-bridges are easily distinguished
For some reason the autumn season seems to
afford the best conditions Of the atmosphere
for conveying sound. Political campaign
martial music in the city has been heard
here on still October evenings.
As to the suggestion Of your Bath cores
pondent that the locality Of the Enterprise
Boxer engagement be determined by the
sound Of the guns, in view Of what Is known
today regarding the unreliability Of such ev-
idence, the proposition has no value what
ever. l believe the only question about the
location of the fight is whether 1t occurred
nearest to Pemaquid Point or the island of
Monhegan. since the inhabitants of both
those places were eye-witnesses Of the affair.
The two places are IL miles apart, and while
the people Of more distant localities NAV
have beltered there was an action by hedrinq
1t, the inhabitants of the former places
had the naked truth for their evidence
NJ. A. II.